Imperfect
by Ciel the Hedgehog
Summary: My take on the creation of Shadow. It's a little long, and is a bit of a spoiler if you haven't beat Shadow the Hedgehog.


**First of all, I know I should be doing One Step Down. But today, I was in the mood for this oneshot about the creation of Shadow and his brothers. This also introduces Baron (yes, that's his name) whom I have barely mentioned in Triple Shadows. I apologize ahead of time if it's boring. So here I go, my take on Shadow's creation.**

* * *

Today was the day. Proffesor Gerald Robotnik was finally going to have the Ultimate Lifeforms. Today would be the day of their creation.

"Is everything ready?" Gerald asked his group of scientists. They all nodded in reply. "Excellent."

"Sir, how many are supposed to be created?" One of them asks. "I know you said that the machine had enough data for more than one."

"While the machine is using the data we collected to create the creatures, it is impossible to tell how many will be created," Gerald said. Not like it really mattered. He himself wasn't exactly sure how things would work. The government wouldn't like it, that's for sure. But to create a creature that would one day save the planet...for that, it was all worth it. He heard footsteps, coming closer.

"Grandpa!" It was his grandaughter, Maria. Gerald smiled as she walked over to him, staring at him with bright blue eyes.

"What is it, Maria?" he asked sweetly.

"Today's my birthday, remember?" Maria asked. Gerald stood in suprise. It was? How could he have forgotten? Simple, he was too busy. Oh well, he'd have to make up for it later. For now, he couldn't have anything interrupt his work, even his own grandaughter.

"Congratulations Dear," Gerald said, "but Grandpa is busy at the moment. How about you go play somewhere else while I wait for the project to finish, okay?"

"Okay," Maria said glumly as she walked away. How could her grandpa be busy on her birthday? She was turning six. She wished Grandpa would play with her. What could she do now? Maria wondered this as she paced up and down the halls. The Ark was so big, she couldn't even find all the rooms. There was still vast amounts of area she had not yet explored, mainly because it was off-limits. But that didn't stop her from some rooms. When no one was looking, she snuck into the room marked CAUTION. It never had done her any wrong, no matter what the scientists had said.

The room was deserted, mainly because all the scientists had gone to help Gerald. Maria was the only human in there. But she wasn't alone. Two other creatures were inside. One was an orange lizard, living in a large glass tank. It had little robotic parts on it. It was the first attempt at an Ultimate Lifeform, but had failed. In the other was a hedgehog. He was red, with black stripes, and a patch of white fur on his chest. He wore a belt, but it no longer bore the sheath and sword he once had. He also wore matching boots. The oddest thing was his left arm, which was made out of metal. It wasn't robotic, and none of the scientists had figured out how it could possibly worked. The hedgehog called it magic.

"Hi Baron!" Maria said. The hedgehog opened his eyes. He had a scar over one eye, bangs covering the other.

"What do you want?" he said in a gruff voice. Maria giggled. She knew he was just acting tough. He was nice to her, and only her. He was lonely, and she often visited when the scientists were gone. She loved to hear the stories he told, but not today.

"Today's my birthday!" Maria said proudly. I'm six!"

"Good," Baron said. "Why don't you go play with the proffesor or something?"

"Grandpa said he's busy with the project today," Maria said sadly. "I heard something important's about to happen today."

"Oh really?" Baron asked. He had heard it too. Today was the day the creations were to be born. Of course, he wasn't allowed to see, because he was dubbed, "too dangerous," despite the fact that most of the dna put into the creations was from him. Besides, he wasn't as dangerous as that scummy Black Doom, yet that alien got to see. Those humans were so stupid.

"I know!" Maria said happily. "How about we see for ourselves?"

"That would be excellent," Baron said. "Of course, I'm locked in this cage, and I don't suppose you know the unlock code?" Most of the scientists didn't even know it. The kid probably didn't either.

"I don't need to," Maria said. She marched up to the machine by the cage, putting her thumb on it.

"Access confirmed," the machine beeped. The door swung open. She smiled happily, proud that she was finally tall enough to reach the machine. Baron stepped out of the cage, astonished that the little girl had let him out. Maybe not all of the humans were stupid. Then again, she wasn't like most humans.

"Come on Baron," Maria said. Follow me! I know where we can see the whole thing." She grabbed him by the hand, leading him away.

* * *

Gerald watched the machine in anticipation. Soon, he would have what he wanted.

"Computer," He bellowed, "How many will you be able to make?" He had programmed the main computer with robotic intelligence, allowing it to speak with humans intelligently. He had taught his children to build them also, but he wasn't so sure if it was a good idea with some of them.

"2.99991" The computer said. "Should I attempt three? The third will be incomplete, but in what way, I can not compute."

"Two will be fine," Gerald said. "I do not need any that are unwhole." He knew a flaw meant imperfection.

"Affirmative." the computer beeped. Gerald nodded in approval, preparing to leave the room. Who knew how long it would take until the birth of his creations. Suddenly, there was a flash of light. a second later, a familiar alien stood in it's place.

"Ah, Black Doom," Gerald said. He had told the alien when the day would be. Disapointing the leader of an alien species was not a good idea.

"Today is the day," Black Doom said. Doom's Eye floated nearby.

"Yes," Gerald replied. "We are able to make two, not including the extras."

"How much will be left over?" Black Doom asked. Gerald had to answer truthfully. He owed Black Doom for the blood it had given. If he didn't follow orders, the deal was off, and the Ark would be destroyed, and Earth soon after.

".99991," Gerald said. "I could make one with it, but it would be a flawed creature."

"I do not care about flaws," Black Doom said. Make the third one."

"If you say so," Gerald said. "Computer, you heard him. Make the third one."

"Affirmative," the computer beeped. Gerald was not sure of this, but then again, he had to obey. But the third one could never be as good as the other two. It would be imperfect.

* * *

Hours later, Maria and Baron had been watching from the air vent. Baron was suprised the little girl, much less himself, had been able to get in here. But at least they had made it. Gerald had already gotten the two "whole" projects, both black hedgehogs, one with blue stripes, the other with yellow ones. So far, the third had yet to be born. Maria watched intently, as if she was watching her grandpa work.

"I don't think the third one's coming out," Baron said. "The stupid machine probably busted." Baron was used to this. When humans needed something the most, it broke. Especially computers. Baron had been skeptical the whole time about this project. It was impossible to create the "Ultimate Lifeform," for it would always be flawed. Anything that was claimed to be perfect was flawed The only reason he was doing this was he was forced to. Baron closed his eyes. Kidnapped. That proffesor had gotten the GUN military to kidnap a creature that would be used for the Ultimate Weapon. That's what the military thought it was all about. So they kidnapped Baron. He was shipped to the Ark, had his weapons taken away, and injected fluids that would render him unable to defend himself. Or use magic, that was his main power. The one thing he shared in commen with Black Doom. But Baron used a different kind of magic: dark magic.

"How about we go check?" Maria asked. Before Baron could reply, she had already opened the vent, jumping onto a nearby machine. She nimbly climbed down to the floor, whereas Baron took a little longer. They walked up to the computer.

"Computer," Maria said, "How much longer until you're done?" she asked. The computer responded, since she was a Robotnik.

"Five minutes, thirty-three seconds," it said. Maria let out a yelp of joy.

"What are you so happy about?" Baron asked. "It's just another mistake. No matter what Gerald said, it can't be perfect."

"I don't care," Maria said. "Today's my birthday! And it's gonna' be this hedgehog's birthday too! I can finally have someone to play with." Baron chuckled at this. All that mattered to a little girl, someone to play with. So silly, yet so simple. Baron had a daughter too. Now, in a sense, he was going to have a few more kids. He wondered what his wife would say to that.

Both of their thoughts were interuppted, as a little ball of fur came out of the machine. It was black, with little red stripes. Maria walked over to it.

"Hi there," she said. The little fluffball uncurled, showing that it was a hedgehog. It watched her with red eyes, showing no emotion. Maria began to softly pet it. The hedgehog continued to stare, nothing behind the eyes. Baron realized the reason. The hedgehog was physically perfect, but lacked one thing: a soul.

"I know what to name you," she whispered to it. "Shadow. No matter what Grandpa names you, I'll call you Shadow." Baron watched her pet Shadow, knowing that the liitle hedgehog's name was also it's fate. No matter what it did, how it acted, a shadow would be all it would ever be. A shadow of life. A shadow of a dream, the pursuit of perfection. Shadow would live as a shadow, always an outcast. But despite that fact, Baron realized as Maria stroked Shadow, that is what would make him the Ultimate Lifeform. No one ever said it couldn't be imperfect.**

* * *

Okay, kinda' long, maybe boring. But there you have it, my take on Shadow's creation. If you finished it, I thank you! Now, to get back to One Step Down. Bye bye!**


End file.
